Beaded Christmas Ornament

For beaders, one of the most coveted design ideas is the perfect netted Christmas tree ornament. Although I adore them myself, this year I wanted to do something special.

Because it is my son's first Christmas, I decided to create something that would capture the year, and be a reminder for every Christmas to come.

Bead embroidery is one of my favorite techniques, so I used it to create a tiny wreath from seed beads. On the back I stitched a simple '08, and I think that I'll make one every year, until our tree is dotted with them.

Not one to hoard ideas, I've written a complete tutorial for the project, and added it to my Christmas Beading showcase. All of my fellow beaders and crafters are welcome to use it to make their own one-of-a-kind memory ornaments.